Road striping machine



Sept'. 26, 1933. 1 H, BALL ROAD STRIPING MACHINE Jamil pt. 26, .HU BALL ROAD STRIPING MACHINE Filed Sept. 12. 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 26, 1933. J H. BALL ROAD STRLPING' MACHINE Filed Sept' 12, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 5- secured theretoand to the rod 44.

immediately continue the operation of the machine.

The shaft of the pump 20 is provided with a gear 29 which meshes with a gear 30 fixedly mounted on a shaft 31 mounted in suitable bearings 32 carried by the support 21. Mounted on one end of the shaft 3l is a sprocket 33 which is driven by means of a chain 34 from a power take- 01T sprocket 35 on one 'of the wheels of the vehicle. The sprocket 33 is located in a considerably higher plane than the sprocket 35, and in order to prevent the chain 34 from becoming tightened or loosened by the spring action of the vehicle, the chain is maintained substantially in a right angular path by means of a pair of idlers 36 and 37. In order that the"chain may be readily adjusted or removed, the idler 37 is mounted on a plate 38 formed with a vertical slot 39. Extending through the slot 39 is a bolt 40 which adjustably connects the plate 38 with one of the bearings 32. During any vertical oscillating movement of the vehicle frame owing to the action of its spring, the chain 34 swings around the sprocket as avpivot withoutappreciably tightening or loosening the chain.V When the idler 37 is adjusted in operative position, forward movement of the vehicle operates the pump` 20 to discharge paint in front of the brushv 24. In order that the paint may be discharged onto a clean surface, theV exhaust line 4l of the vehicle is projected from the side of the vehicle frame, Vand is provided Witha attened discharge nozzle 42 located in alignment with the brush 24, forwardly of the latten Y The vehicle is provided with a special bumper 43 which is of straight cylindrical construction in order that a rod 44 may be telescoped therein. y'Ifhe rod 44 is provided with a plurality of spaced, transverse openings 45 for selective registry with an opening 46 in the bumper 43 in order that a suitable pin may be passedthrough the aligned openings to adjustably connect the rod 44 with .the bumper. rConnected with the outer endof .the rod 44 is a rearwardly extending arm 47 Y having swivelly connected therewith a support 48 for a guide wheel 49. Projecting upwardly from the outer end of the rod 44 is a sight rod `50 of relatively light material which'is prevented from lateral vibration by means of a brace 51 In the use .of the machine, the rod r44 is adjusted with .respect to the bumper 43 in sucha manner that with the guide wheel 49 running at the edge ofthe roadway, the brush 24 will be located at that portion of the roadway that it is desired to Ypaint a stripe.

In order that the machine maybe guided from a point substantially in alignment with the guide wheel 49 with respect to the length of the road, an auxiliary steering wheel 52 is provided which is mounted on a base 53 removably connected with the platform 4. The base 53 is provided with a seat v54 and also is provided with a pair of sightv members 55 which are spaced one foot apartin order that they may be used selectively, depending upon the width of theA road. One of the sight members 55 will be in alignment with the guide wheel 49 and sight rod 50 with respect to the length of the road in order that the guide wheel 49 may be kept at the edge ofthe road by sighting the rod 50 through the Imember 55 in alignment therewith. If the edge the sightmember 55 aligned therewith, but where dirt has collected at the side of the road and the exact width thereof is diflicult to determine, the guide wheel may be kept in its proper position by sighting the rod 50 on a point which clearly shows in advance of the machine. The steering wheel 52 is operated from the steering wheel 3 by means of a chain 56 extending around sprockets 57 and 58 on the posts of the steering wheels 3 and 52 respectively. lA brace 59 extends between the posts of the steering wheels 3 and 52, and carried by the brace 59 are a plurality of cross braces 60 provided with upstanding pins 61 for guiding the chain 56.

If it is desired to repaint an old stripe, the base 53 is removed from the platform 4 and secured to the vopposite end thereof as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. The rod 54 also is Withdrawn from the bumper 43 and inserted into the opposite end of the latter as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. The guide wheel 49 and support 48 may be removed from the arm 47 when repainting an old stripe, as the vehicle may be guided with greater accuracy by sighting the rod 50 through the sight member 55 aligned therewith. The guiding direction may be more accurately determinedr in this manner owing to the fact that certain portions of an old stripe will be more clearly visible than other portions thereof, and the rod 50 may be sighted in advance of the vehicle on such portions of the old stripe as show the more clearly. The use of the rod 50 in connection with one of the sight. members 55 also enables the operator to accurately guide the machine when repainting an old stripe of the skip type. In the use of the machine, it is guided solely by the occupant of the auxiliary seat 54, and the vehicle is opcrated, exclusively of the steering, by the occupant of the seat 2.

It is to be noted that the operation of the pump 20 assures an even supply of paint at all times regardless of the viscosity of the paint or to the force of gravity of the paint within the tank '7. The proper ratio between the Ysprocket 35 and gear 29 is determined in advance in order to measure the exact quantity of paint required. This ratio may be varied as desired when painting stripes of diiferent Widths, preferably by substituting for the sprocket 33 a similar sprocket having a greater or lesser number of teeth as may be required.

The striping operation may be discontinued at any time merely by removing the chain 34, closing the valve 19, raising the brush 24, and also raising the conduit 22 above the pump 20 as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. The vehicle then may be driven from the road Without any paint being discharged therefrom. As soon as the Vehicle is driven from the road, the cleaning pipe 28 shouldbe inserted into the tank '7, the'valve 19 opened, and the discharge pipe 18, pump 20 and conduit 22 cleaned as previously described. Upon the completion of the cleaning operation, the pipe 18, pump 20 and conduit 22 may be flooded with a suitable lubricant forced through the pipe 28 to prevent corrosion of the cleaned parts.

While the embodiment of the invention herein illustrated and described is to be considered-as a preferred example of the same, it is to be 1. In a road striping machine, a carrier of the 1 c :1,928,551 1` automotivel type yincluding a `steering mecha'- nism, a striping mechanism supported byand driven therefrom and striping adjacent ,one side of the carrier, asupport disposed transversely of, mounted on and extended laterally from each side of the carrier intermediate the ends of the latter forwardly of the striping mechanism, a

laterally adjustable interchangeable guide for,

selective connection to thevsides of the carrier at the front end thereof and including a guide' wheel for traveling upon the road, and an nterchangeable combined sighting and auxiliary operating means for the steering mechanism of the vehicle for selective mounting upon the ends `of, said support and including ar shifting connection for operating the steering mechanism of the carrier. y y i 2. In a road striping machine, a mobile carrier of the automotive type, ra paint holder supported upon the carrier, a paint applying structure driven from the carrier and including a valve controlled feed line extending upwardly into said holder and having an open upper end positionedbelow the top of and normally cornvmunicating Withvthe interior of the holder, said structure including aflexible discharge line carrying a striping elementarranged forwardly of and below said holder, and elevating and lowering meansvfor said element supported upon the carrier and connected to said flexible discharge line.

3. In a road striping machine, amobile car-- rier of the automotive type, a paint holder supportedv upon the carrier, a paint applyingv structure driven from the carrierv and including a valve controlled feed line extending upwardly into said holder and having anopen upper end positioned below the top of and normally communcating with the interior `of the holder, saidr structure including a flexiblel discharge line carrying a striping element arranged forwardly of and below said holder, elevatingand lowering means 4for said element supported upon-the carrier and connected to said flexible discharge line,

and a removable means extending downwardly into the holder for encompassing the feed line to close the said upper end of the latter to the holder. y 4. In a road striping machine, a mobile carrier of the automotive type having its exhaust arranged forwardly of its transverse median, a paint holder arranged upon the rear of the carrier, a paint applying structure supported from the carrier rearwardly of its transverse median and driven from lthe carrier, said structure including a valve `controlled feed line opening at its rear end into the holder below the top' thereof 90 .and a substantially laterally disposed fflexible discharge line carrying a striping element arranged forwardly of .and below said holder and ladjacent one side of the body ofthe carrier, and

an elevating and lowering means for said element connected to said flexible discharge line below the body of the carrier. 5. In a road striping machine, a carrier of the automotive type a striping mechanism supported by and driven therefrom and striping in adjusted position, and a combined slighting 110Y and auxiliary operating means for the steering mechanism of the vehicle mounted upon the laterally extended portion of said support and including a shifting connection for operating the steering mechanism of the carrier.

JOHN HOUSTON BALL.l 

